Fatal Attraction
by Corporal Cupcake
Summary: NS. Somebody wants to get revenge on Nick and Sara. Sara and Nick’s POV. I think the rating might be a little too strong. There is some swearing (actually it's only in one or two chapters) and violence, but just to be safe. Completed Plese R&R.
1. The nightmare begins

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI. I never have and I never will. I'm just borrowing the characters to use for your entertainment. I'm not making any money off this so don't sue me.  
  
****************************************************************  
  
As Nick entered the building, he felt a rush of excitement inside of him. He couldn't wait to see Sara. Last night had been great. It was their third date as a couple. They had a nice romantic dinner and then went for a long walk on the beach. He had finally found someone he was head-over-heels in love with and just the thought of her made his heart beat faster.  
  
"How are you doing sweetheart?" Nick asked Sara putting his arm around her as they entered the break room. She looked beautiful in anything she wore. Today she was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a black sweatshirt, which was usually how she dressed, casual, but it looked good on her.  
  
"Great." She replied, giving him a quick kiss. He was so sweet. "I had a wonderful time last night."  
  
"So did I." He hadn't told her, but he was already making plans for their next date. He wanted it to be perfect.  
  
He loved the direction their relationship was headed in, ever since she finally decided to break up with Hank she had been much happier. It was about time too. He cheated on her way too many times.  
  
As they entered the room, they caught the end of a discussion between Greg and Warrick about some comic book.  
  
"Hey. I thought I was the one you discussed comic books with." Nick said acting offended.  
  
Sara gave him a playful smack in the head. "You are so childish."  
  
He smiled at her comment. She was always so practical, but she knew how to have a good time. This was something he had only discovered recently. She always seemed so serious. This was a side of her he hadn't seen before.  
  
At that moment Grissom walked in. "I have two cases for tonight. Sara you and Nick are on a residential homicide and Warrick, you and me have a hit and run on highway 104. Let's go."  
  
"Do you want to drive? Or will I?" Nick asked as they left the building and headed for his car.  
  
"You can." She replied, giving him a smile.  
  
The drive was pretty much quiet the whole way. They both spent a lot of time thinking.  
  
Man he looks good tonight. Sara thought to herself as they changed lanes. He had on light blue jeans and a black t-shirt that showed off his muscles. He always looked good, but tonight there was just something about him. She loved being in love. It was something she never really felt before. She hadn't had a whole lot of boyfriends, and the one's she had never really cared about her. Hank was no exception. She never really talked about her relationship with Hank, but Nick helped her through it. Nick was so different. He actually cared about her. He was so much fun to be with and he was so sweet.  
  
It wasn't long before they arrived at the crime scene. The house was a nice ways of the road. They drove up the long spiraling driveway and stopped in front of the door. They paused for a moment before getting out. They had to check their emotions at the door, to concentrate completely on the case. The both got out and grabbed their kits, and headed for the house. Once inside a police officer met them at the door.  
  
"Right this way."  
  
They passed through the living room and entered a long hallway. At the end of the hallway they turned right and entered a bedroom. A woman was lying in the middle of a bed with a gash in her throat. Blood covered the sheets, and the room was a mess. Stuff was knocked over everywhere.  
  
"She put up a fight." Sara commented. "You wanna to take the outside and I'll take the inside?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
As he left the house the police were just finishing up.  
  
"Do you want us to stay? Or will you be ok by yourselves? We have another call."  
  
"We'll be fine." Nick replied. What could happen?  
  
It was really dark outside. There was only one light on the outside of the house and the bulb was broken. He searched around in his kit for his flashlight. He finally found it and turned it on.  
  
He walked around the side of the house and something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. As he got closer he saw that there was a piece of cloth on the ground. He was about to get an evidence bag from his kit when something hard smacked him on the back of his head, and everything went dark.  
  
*******  
  
"I wonder how Nick's doing. He's been gone a long time." Sara thought to herself as she finished dusting for fingerprints on the dresser. "I should go check on him."  
  
She grabbed her flashlight and went outside.  
  
"This is kind of creepy." She thought out loud as she walked around the house. She had a habit of thinking out loud and it drove everyone nuts.  
  
She noticed a flashlight on the ground still on and as she got closer she realized it was a CSI flashlight. Just then somebody grabbed her from behind. She tried to scream but his hand was covering her mouth. She jabbed her elbow into his stomach, which knocked the wind out of him but only for a second. Before she could react he punched her in the eye. She threw a punch back that hit him in the jaw. He fell over backwards and landed on the ground. He grabbed a nearby rock and hurled it at her. It collided with her forehead and she collapsed onto the ground unconscious.  
  
**********  
  
Back at CSI, Warrick and Grissom were just getting back from their scene. Warrick brought the evidence to Greg in the lab who was reading one of his comic books again.  
  
"Don't you have anything better to do than read comic books?"  
  
"It's been a slow night."  
  
"I guess Nick and Sara aren't back yet."  
  
"No."  
  
"Ok. Get this stuff processed as soon as possible. Ok?"  
  
"Sure thing."  
  
He left the lab and headed down the hall and ran into Grissom.  
  
"Have Sara and Nick checked in yet?"  
  
"No. Why? Is there a problem?" Grissom asked concerned.  
  
"No, they're just not back yet."  
  
"I'm sure they're fine."  
  
"Yeah. You're probably right." He still couldn't help the feeling he had in his gut that something was wrong. 


	2. Where are you?

Nick slowly opened his eyes and felt very disoriented. He tried to move but a sharp pain shot through the back of his head. He then realized that his arms were tied behind his back. He looked around the room from where he was. His CSI instincts taking over. It looked like an old building of some sort. Maybe an abandoned warehouse. There were no windows but there was two doors. There was a single light hanging from the ceiling that cast eerie shadows on the dreary walls. Another chair was next to his with a pile of rope on it. I guess I'm going to have company.  
  
Just then the door opened and a man walked in. Nick froze when he saw who it was.  
  
"You! What do you want with me?"  
  
"You'll see soon enough." The man said and laughed as walked towards Nick.  
  
"Are you comfortable Nick?"  
  
"Yes. Quite." Was his stale reply.  
  
"Good. I brought a visitor to join you." He said with an evil smirk on his face.  
  
He left the room and came back carrying someone. When Nick realized who it was, his heart stopped. Sara.  
  
He dropped her on the floor next to Nick and he saw the bruises beginning to form on her face. There was one on her eye, one on her jaw, and she had a cut on her forehead from which blood was dripping.  
  
"You bastard!" Nick practically yelled. "What the hell did you do to her?"  
  
The man chuckled. "She fought back. I had to teach her a lesson. She gave me a souvenir too." He said. Indicating to the bruise forming on his jaw.  
  
With a grin on his face he began to tie Sara's hands and feet together.  
  
"I can't have you escaping now can I? I'll be back. Be good while I'm gone." He left the room and locked the door behind him.  
  
*******  
  
Warrick was on his way to Grissom's office with the newly processed evidence. He was really starting to worry about Nick and Sara. They would never be gone this long without checking in. As he entered Grissom's office, the sound from the CD player hit him.  
  
"Could you possibly have that thing any louder?" Warrick asked, as he walked over to Grissom's desk.  
  
Grissom turned the music off. "Did you say something?"  
  
"Never mind."  
  
"Nick and Sara not back yet?" Grissom asked, starting to get concerned.  
  
"No,"  
  
"I'll call Nick's cell." He picked up the phone and started dialing.  
  
*******  
  
"Poor Sara." Nick thought to himself. It broke his heart to see her like this, and there was nothing he could do to help her. That bastard was hurting the one person he loved more than anything else in the world. Anger took over and once again he tried with all his might to break free of the rope that prevented him from helping her. But once again his attempt was in vain. Why didn't he learn from what happened to Holly? This was all his fault. They wouldn't be in this situation if he hadn't let the police officers go. Common Grissom. Where are you?  
  
"Sara. Sara. Can you hear me? Come on honey, wake up." She didn't move.  
  
Just then the door swung opened and the man entered again, only this time he had an automatic in his right hand. Nick's heart stopped. Was he going to kill them?  
  
"What do you want with us?" Nick asked, trying to keep his voice calm, but he was starting to get nervous. He didn't like guns. The only reason he owned one was because it was part of his job. For his protection.  
  
The man just laughed.  
  
Sara stirred and finally opened her eyes. She slowly lifted her head. The pain was almost unbearable, but she tried her best not to let it show.  
  
"I see our sleeping beauty is finally awake." He said with a smirk. Nick just glowered at him.  
  
"Hank?" Sara asked with surprise. Why did he have a gun? What's going on?  
  
"I can see this is going to be fun." The man grinned. 


	3. Any last requests?

"There's no answer at Nick's or Sara's." Grissom informed Warrick.  
  
"Do you think something's happened to them?" Warrick asked with growing concerned.  
  
"There is a possibility. The officers on duty left 2 hours ago. They had another call."  
  
"Maybe we should go check it out." Warrick suggested.  
  
"My thought's exactly."  
  
**********  
  
"You asshole! What the hell are thinking? They're going to catch you." Sara shouted.  
  
Hank who was waving his gun around and pacing back in forth, deciding what to do stopped in his tracks and starting walking towards her.  
  
She held her breath, expecting him to hit her.  
  
"Who do you think you are, talking to me like that? I hold your lives in my hand, bitch."  
  
"I'm not afraid of you." She tried her best not to let her fear show. That's what he wants, she told herself.  
  
"Really?" He replied smugly. "I know a lot about the two of you. I have been watching you for a while. I know about your relationship." He walked behind Sara. "You may not be afraid of me Sara, but I know what would hurt you. I see the look in your eyes every time you see a victim's face. And I can make that pain closer to home."  
  
Sara froze.  
  
Hank grinned when he saw the look on her face as realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Nick.  
  
He walked behind her and bent over to whisper in her ear. "You know, this is all your fault. I warned you. If you hadn't left me, neither of you would be here now. Now, you are going to pay." He hissed.  
  
********  
  
Warrick and Grissom rushed as fast as they could to the crime scene without getting pulled over. They both hoped for the best but the worst case scenarios kept replaying over and over in their minds. Their worst fear was finding Nick and Sara dead. As they pulled up in front of the house they saw Nick's car parked in front of the door. They both grabbed a flashlight and got out. Warrick went inside the house while Grissom checked around the premises. As Grissom reached the back of the house, he saw the flashlight which still remained on the ground and a CSI kit was lying open not far from it. Something else caught his attention. As he drew closer he saw that the rock had what looked like blood on it.  
  
"Warrick!"  
  
"Yeah?" He replied when he reached Grissom's side. He pointed to the bloody rock.  
  
"There's no one inside." He informed Grissom.  
  
"I think we've found our crime scene."  
  
**********  
  
He was right. Sara thought to herself. This was all her fault. It's her fault Nick was here. It would be her fault if they didn't make it.  
  
"Shut up. It's not her fault we're here, and I will not let you make her feel guilty for this."  
  
"Oh yeah? I almost forgot. It was your fault that she's here, wasn't it? You were the one that let the officers go." Hank said smugly. "Oh, I almost forgot. Did you ever wonder where they had to go in such a hurry?" He laughed. "I sent that call in."  
  
"You son of a bitch!"  
  
"It gets better."  
  
"You're just jealous that Sara didn't love you because you're such a bastard!" Nick added trying to make him flustered so he'd end up doing something stupid that might help them out of this mess. What did Sara see in this guy?  
  
"You are starting to get on my nerves."  
  
"Well, you're an asshole." Nick said, still trying to remain calm and not get angry.  
  
He took in a deep breathe and it looked as if he was going to blow up, but instead he just turned toward Nick with an evil smile on his face.  
  
"I just had a change in plans. She dies first, and you get to watch." He said with a smirk.  
  
**********  
  
"Take this evidence to Greg and have him process it ASAP." Grissom told Warrick. They had to find them soon if they wanted to be sure that they found them alive.  
  
"Sure thing."  
  
Warrick grabbed the evidence and headed back to the lab. Grissom took out his cell phone and began dialing.  
  
"Willows."  
  
"Catherine, I'm sorry to have to call you on your day off, but Nick and Sara are missing and we need someone to cover a crime scene."  
  
"I'm on my way. Just give me 20 minutes."  
  
*********  
  
He untied Sara's hands and jabbed his gun into her already injured temple. She winced but said nothing. "Get up!" He ordered. She stood up, but even though she did it as slow as possible she still felt dizzy.  
  
"Walk over in front of your lover boy and stand facing him."  
  
She did as he said, although she couldn't figure out why she was listening to him. He was going to kill her anyway. She just couldn't think. Her body was reacting the way she had been trained. Listen to the guy with the gun.  
  
She stopped in front of Nick, and he watched in horror as he raised the gun to her head.  
  
"Any last requests?" He asked, grinning. 


	4. This should be a walk in the park

Catherine arrived at the scene, and while two police officers kept guard, she began to collect evidence. She found a number of finger prints all over the room and found three hairs on the bed. So she brought them back to the lab to be processed.  
  
"Greg?" She asked entering the lab.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Get this stuff processed ASAP. We have to find Nick and Sara before it's too late."  
  
"I'm on it." He took the evidence and began as fast as he could. He had never worked harder in his life.  
  
*********  
  
Oh my God. I'm going to die. He's actually going to kill me. Sara thought to herself. Don't panic. Ok, that's easier said than done. I have to do something. Come on Sara, think. I'm not going to go down without a fight. She told herself.  
  
It was now or never. She did a spinning hook kick and knocked the gun out of his hand. He stalled for a moment, stunned, but recovered quickly. He threw a side kick, and she swore she heard a crack as his foot collided with her side and she flew backwards and hit the concrete wall and slumped to the floor.  
  
"No!" Nick screamed. He felt completely helpless. There was nothing he could do to help her. He couldn't move.  
  
********  
  
Back at the lab, Greg was working furiously. When he finally had the results he dashed down the hall as quick as he could. As he turned the corner, he ran into Catherine and nearly knocked her over.  
  
"Catherine! I have the results." He exclaimed, trying to catch his breathe. "The blood. on the rock. Grissom found outside. is Sara's. And you won't believe whose fingerprints were inside."  
  
"Greg, just tell me." She was getting annoyed.  
  
"Hank's."  
  
"What?"  
  
"One of the hairs was also his. The other two were the victims."  
  
"I have to go." She said as she ran down the hall towards Grissom's office.  
  
She entered Grissom's office without knocking and dropped the report on the cluttered desk in front of him. He looked up at the report, and then at her with a worried expression on his face.  
  
"You don't think it was him, do you?" She asked.  
  
"There's a good chance. From what I heard their relationship ended badly. Now we just have to figure out where he's hiding them"  
  
"That's going to be difficult. I found no other evidence at the scene that would indicate where he could have taken them."  
  
"We'll find them." He assured her.  
  
"I hope you're right." She replied. She had learned by now to trust her supervisor's instincts. He was always right. But she couldn't help feeling unsure. She had no doubt that they'd find them, the question is, will they be dead or alive.  
  
********  
  
Hank walked over to where Sara lay. "Get up!"  
  
She did move.  
  
"I said, get the hell up!" He kicked her in the leg with his steel toe boots. He was really getting angry now.  
  
Sara could hear someone far away, saying something, but she couldn't distinguish what it was he was saying. She felt something warm trickle down the back of her neck. It tickled so she couldn't help but laugh. That was the only spot she had ever been ticklish in.  
  
"What the hell are you laughing at?" Hank was really getting pissed off now.  
  
She slowly opened her eyes. She tried to speak but she couldn't form the words.  
  
Hank reached over and grabbed her by the hair. He hauled her to her feet. He let go and she collapsed back onto the floor.  
  
I wish he'd leave her alone. Nick thought angrily. This guy's a total asshole.  
  
"I told you to get up!"  
  
"Get the hell away from her!" Nick yelled.  
  
"Fine. I know how to make you get up." He walked over to Nick who was still tied up, and punched him in the face.  
  
She could see him hitting Nick, the guy she loved, and tried to get up but she couldn't. So he punched him again, and again.  
  
"Don't listen to him Sara." Nick pleaded. Hank was going to kill them both if he didn't think of something fast. He had to get his hands free.  
  
She had to get up. She had to make him stop. Maybe he would spare Nick if she did. She made another attempt and this time she succeeded, but felt wobbly and nearly fell over again.  
  
"Good. I knew that would work. Now this time, don't try anything funny."  
  
**********  
  
Brass knocked twice on Grissom's office door before entering. "I just got a call from a woman saying she saw a suspicious looking man entering an old warehouse down town. He matches the description of Hank."  
  
"Ok, I'm on my way. Make sure we've go backup."  
  
"Sure thing." Brass replied.  
  
He grabbed his gun from his desk drawer and hurried to find Catherine and Warrick. Together they headed out to the parking lot and all got into Grissom's Tahoe. It was about a 15 minute drive and nobody could sit still. They kept squirming in their seats and hopping they weren't too late.  
  
After what seemed like forever, they finally reached the warehouse. They all jumped out of the car onto the gray pavement. It was a typical warehouse, and by the looks of it, it had only one door.  
  
"Only one way out." Brass observed. "Ok, this should be a walk in the park.  
  
**********  
  
Ok, think fast. Nick told himself. He had to get them out of this mess. Where's Grissom? He might not find us in time. Ok, it's up to you Nick. Just a little more and you'll have your hands free.  
  
"I'm going to kill you just like I killed that girl back at that crime scene." Hank said smiling.  
  
"You killed her?" Sara suddenly felt sick.  
  
"Of course. I had to get you two alone." He replied grinning at the look of horror on the two CSI's faces.  
  
Sara put her hand over her mouth and bent over. Nick just tipped his head back and closed his eyes.  
  
Hank started to laugh. He was enjoying every minute of making them suffer. "Now it's your turn." He raised his gun to Sara's head. She closed her eyes tightly. She was too tired and weak. There was no way she could fight him any longer. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, Nick's hands came free. He jumped up and tackled Hank. The gun went off, and they both hit the floor. They wrestled, fighting for control of the gun. Hank jabbed Nick in the face with his elbow. Nick finally got the gun, but as he was trying to get up, Hank punched him in the face and tackled him again, which led to Nick landing hard on the ground, dislocating his shoulder, with Hank on top of him. Hank gained control of the gun and just as he was about to shoot, there was a crash at the door. Hank looked up in time to see about half a dozen people come barging into the room, guns drawn.  
  
As they entered the room, an awful sight met their eyes. Sara was on the floor bleeding, and Nick was lying not far from her with Hank on top of him, who had a gun pointed at his head.  
  
He hauled Nick to his feet and held him in front of him acting as a shield, and had the gun trained on his right temple.  
  
"Don't move, or I will shoot!" He yelled.  
  
"Do as I say." He ordered Nick.  
  
Nick, who was in no position to object, did as he said. Hank guided him backwards as they headed out the opposite door, and into an alley. Hank forced him into a car, and they drove off down the road. 


	5. Call an ambulance

A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone. I'm glad you like it so far. I'm sorry to leave you hanging but this is categorized as suspense, so I have to add some somewhere. Sorry I rook so long to update. I've had a really bad writers block and I got the CSI computer game, and I'm addicted. lol. Let me know what you think. E-mails are greatly welcomed too!!!  
  
**********  
  
"Call an ambulance!" Grissom shouted as he rushed out the door after Hank. He made it outside just as the car sped down the alley and turned right. There was no way they could go after him, there was too much at stake. Hank could kill Nick in the blink of an eye. They'd just have to wait it out.  
  
He headed back inside, where Catherine and Warrick were at Sara's side.  
  
"How is she?" He asked, almost dreading to know what the answer was.  
  
"She's still breathing. Pulse is faint but there. It looks like the bullet only grazed her side, but she's lost a lot of blood. I don't think the bullet hit an artery though, the blood is dark." Catherine informed him.  
  
He let out a sigh of relief. At least she was alive. "Is an ambulance on the way?"  
  
"Yeah, they should be here any minute."  
  
"Good."  
  
They could here the siren from the ambulance off in the distance.  
  
**********  
  
She awoke in a bright yellow room surrounded by a half dozen people and flowers. The sun was shinning directly in her eyes, causing her to squint. I must be ok if they allowed visitors. She thought to herself. Or maybe I'm in really bad shape and they don't expect to make it. Ok, calm down Sara, the last thing I remember is a gun going off and the. nothing. Oh my God. I've been shot. Ok, relax Sara. Just then Grissom noticed she was awake.  
  
"Sara!" He exclaimed and everyone looked towards her. Suddenly everyone was crowded around the bed asking how she was doing. It was almost overwhelming.  
  
"How's Nick?" She asked, not knowing what happened after she was hit.  
  
Every just looked at her. No one uttered a word. Ok, something bad must have happened.  
  
"Somebody please tell me what happened to Nick." She pleaded.  
  
Grissom was the first to speak. "Sara honey." He paused. "Hank has taken Nick hostage." He said quietly.  
  
Her heart stopped. Hank still had Nick? This was bad. He would kill him for sure. This was all her fault. It was her he was after, not Nick. It was her fault Nick got dragged into this.  
  
"Sara? Sara?" She made no response. Her eyes were distant, almost glazed. "Sara, honey, he's going to be ok." Grissom tried to assure her.  
  
At that moment the nurse entered the room carrying a tray. "It's time for your meds. You'll all have to leave now. She needs her rest."  
  
They all reluctantly left the room single file. Grissom was the last to leave. "Sara, it's going to be ok. We're going to find Nick." He assured her.  
  
**********  
  
Back downstairs in the waiting room.  
  
"Do you really think we'll be able to get Nick out alive?" Warrick asked doubtful.  
  
"I really don't know." Grissom replied sitting down in one of the uncomfortable blue chairs. He ran his hands through his hair.  
  
Catherine sat down next to him and rubbed his back with her hand. "Nick's smart. He'll figure out something to keep himself alive." She said, reassuringly.  
  
"I hope you're right. I need to go get some air." He left the room and headed for the door. Once outside he leaned against the side of the building and closed his eyes. This was really bad.  
  
He heard sirens off in the distance coming closer and closer. He opened his eyes in time to see an ambulance pull up not far from him. Two paramedics jumped out and ran to the back. They pulled out a stretcher and rushed towards the Emergency room door. As they got closer, Grissom got a good look at who was on the stretcher. He grabbed onto the wall to support himself.  
  
Nick.  
  
**********  
  
A/N: Yeah I know it's short, but I haven't really decided what I'm doing next, so bear with me. Should I have Catherine and Grissom get together? Please review and tell me what you think. ( I'm always opened to suggestions. 


	6. On we go!

Catherine sat in one of the pale blue chairs in the O.R, waiting room, watching as Grissom paced back and forth in front of her. Greg had arrived not long ago, and he and Warrick were up keeping Sara company. She had been a mess when she found out that Nick was in the O.R. and it didn't look too good. They had to do some convincing to get the nurse to allow anyone to visit her, but under the circumstances the nurse finally agreed.  
  
"Can you please stay still? You're making nauseas." Catherine asked, slightly amused.  
  
"I'm sorry." He replied. "I'm nervous and I pace when I'm nervous."  
  
"Come sit down." She suggested, gesturing to an empty seat next to her.  
  
"What if he doesn't make it? They've been in there for over 3 hours." Grissom asked, concerned. He was usually so strong. He'd been in this situation before, with Holly, but it just didn't seem the same. He hadn't really known her. It was her first day on the job.  
  
"Nick's strong, he'll make it." Catherine assured him.  
  
"I hope you're right."  
  
At that moment a doctor emerged from the doors leading to the O.R. Since the room was empty, they assumed it was Nick's doctor. They stood up as he approached them.  
  
"Are you Mr. Stokes family?" He asked.  
  
"Yes." Grissom replied, glancing sideways at Catherine. Nick's parents had been informed, but were unable to make it out.  
  
"How is he?" Catherine asked the slightly skeptical looking doctor.  
  
"He's going to be fine. The bullet penetrated an artery in his left leg, but we've managed to repair it. He has a broken rib and has received a lot of injury to the head. We've preformed a CAT scan put nothing serious turned up. He just needs lots of rest and to stay of his leg."  
  
They both breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you doctor."  
  
"No problem. You can see him in about an hour, when he wakes up." He replied before leaving the room.  
  
"Lets go tell the others the good news." Catherine suggested, and the both headed for the elevators.  
  
They reached Sara's floor in a matter of seconds and headed down the hall to her section. When they reached her room, they saw Warrick starring out the window, and Greg seated next to a sleeping Sara, holding her hand.  
"Hey guys." Catherine said, walking in.  
  
Greg, who hadn't seen them come in, jumped and quickly pulled his hand away.  
  
Catherine laughed and Greg blushed.  
  
"Must be good news." Warrick observed.  
  
"Yeah. Nick's going to be fine. We can see him soon." She replied.  
  
Sara stirred and opened her eyes. When she saw the whole team standing in front of her she knew there was some news.  
  
"How is he?" She asked, dreading to know what the answer was.  
  
"He's going to be fine, honey." Catherine replied, smiling.  
  
She relaxed a little, and smiled for the first time since this nightmare began.  
  
"Can I see him?" She asked.  
  
"Sure. Greg, go find a wheel chair." Catherine ordered.  
  
"Yes sir." He saluted before leaving the room in search of a wheel chair.  
  
He returned a few minutes later with the chair, and he and Catherine helped her into it.  
  
"On we go!" He shouted, rather loudly, before he pushed her out of the room and down the hall.  
  
It wasn't long before they were at the door to Nick's room. They walked quietly into the room single file. One look at Nick and Sara's eyes filled with tears. 'I'm going to make that bastard pay for what he did, if it's the last thing I do.'  
  
He looked awful. He had a bandage around his leg from where he was shot. He had a sling around his shoulder, 'must have dislocated it' she thought to herself. His face was badly bruised. He had 2 black eyes, a split lip, and a bruise on his jaw.  
  
He stirred in his sleep and slowly opened his eyes. He slowly looked around the room and stopped when he saw Sara. His heart hurt just looking at her. Her face was all bruised, and she had stitches in the gash one her forehead. By the looks of things, she hand a bandage wrapped around her stomach. She also received two broken ribs.  
  
"Hey Nick." Sara said softly as she moved closer to the bed.  
  
"Hey sweetheart." He replied, smiling.  
  
"What happened to you?" She asked.  
  
"It's a long story." He replied. "After Grissom and the team arrived, and Hank took me as a hostage, we drove a little ways."  
  
Flashback  
  
"It's no use Hank. They're going to catch you in the end. They know it was you, so it's only a matter of time." Nick said, hoping to fluster him enough to do something stupid that might help his situation.  
  
"Shut up." Hank replied.  
  
"Where are you taking me?" He asked after a few minutes of silence.  
  
"Somewhere, where I can do away with you without being seen or heard, and without messing up my car." He laughed at the terrified look oh his hostage's face.  
  
As he sat in the backseat of Hank's car, all he could think about was Sara. 'At least she's not here instead of me,' he thought gratefully to himself. 'If I don't think of something quick, I'll never come out of this alive. Think Nick, think'  
  
A few minute later, they stopped at a set of lights. Nick took the opportunity, and pushed the door open, and jumped out of the car, his hands tied behind his back. He hit the ground running, trying to get as far away from the car as he could. He heard a gun go off, and a bullet clink against a mailbox to his right, but he still kept running. He heard another shot, and then a burning sensation, traveling from this leg to his chest. He hit the ground, and heard a car speed away. He glanced down at his left leg and saw the warm, scarlet red liquid oozing from a hole in his leg.  
  
Off in the distance he heard sirens nearing, and then he fell into darkness.  
  
End of flashback  
  
"I'm guessing someone who witnessed the event called the ambulance." Nick finished.  
  
He glanced around the room at his colleagues and saw a look of sadness in their eyes. He looked at Sara who was seated next to him, holding his hand, and a single teardrop fell down her cheek.  
  
"I know this has been an awful ordeal for both of you, but it's not over yet." Grissom's take-charge attitude took over. "We still have to find Hank."  
  
He was right. Sara thought to herself. This nightmare wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot. Hank was still out there, somewhere. Nothing says he won't try this again.  
  
"So, I'm going to discuss this with Brass, but I think the safest scenario will be for you two to live in a safe house for the time being." Grissom said.  
  
Nick glanced at Sara before he spoke, "Can we share one?" He asked, looking at Sara for her approval.  
  
"Well, it's up to you two, but I don't see why not."  
  
"What do you think Sara? I want to be there for you, to protect you if the need is desired."  
  
She smiled at him. "Sounds like a good idea to me."  
  
"Ok, I'll have it arranged. We'll leave you two alone." He finished, before gesturing for the others to leave the room.  
  
*~@~*~@~*~@~*~@~*~@~*~@~*~@~*~@~*~@~*~@~*~@~*~@~*~@~*~@  
  
A/N: I don't know if "safe house" was the correct terminology, but they are just going to live together in an apartment somewhere, protected from Hank (if that makes any sense. lol) Please review and let me know what you think. 


	7. Now that we're alone

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews everyone!! And special thanks to Sweet Preserves for helping me out!  
  
*********  
  
Both Nick and Sara had been discharged from the hospital the same time, which a little help from Brass. After they both had visited their apartments with two police officers, to retrieve some clothing and personal belongings, they headed towards their new home for the next few weeks. They took a round about way, to make sure nobody was following them, and it ended up taking and extra half hour, but they finally made it.  
  
Once they reached the apartment building, Nick slowly climbed out of the vehicle and walked around to the trunk. He grabbed both his and Sara's bags and they followed Brass up the steps and into the building.  
  
The reached the apartment in a matter of minutes, and Brass unlocked the door, giving the key to Nick.  
  
"Thanks. For carrying my bags, Nick." Sara said giving him a smile.  
  
"No problem honey." He replied.  
  
Brass interrupted, "Now, before I leave, I need to go over the rules. Number one: don't go outside for anything, unless it's an emergency, and even then, be careful that no one follows you. Number two: don't tell anyone where you are. The rest of the team knows, and that's it. Number three: nobody you don't know comes in here. Always look to see who it is before opening the door. And last," his voice softened a little, "be careful you guys. I don't want to see something happen to you." He finished, giving them a smile.  
  
"Thanks for everything." Nick replied as Brass headed out the door. He shut the door behind him, locking all three deadbolts.  
  
He walked over to Sara and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. "We'll make it through this together." He said, glancing down at her smiling face. God he loved that smile. It was so contagious. Just looking at her smile made him happy.  
  
He walked her over to the couch and they sat down. The room was cozy. There was a 28" T.V. against one wall, with a DVD player hooked up to it. A couch was placed across from it, and a big comfy chair off to the side. The kitchen was connected to the living room by an arched doorway. The room was painted a deep red.  
  
"So, what do we do now?" Sara asked.  
  
"I don't know." He replied. "What do you want to do?"  
  
"Do you want to watch a movie? I brought a few of my favorites."  
  
"Sure." He replied.  
  
She walked over to her bag and hauled out a few DVD's. "What's your pick? Sherlock Holmes, Backdraft, Frequency, or Double Jeopardy." She asked grinning.  
  
Nick had to laugh. He should have guessed those would be her favorite. "How about Backdraft?" He asked.  
  
"Sure. I'll go pop some popcorn." She said, leaving the room.  
  
She found popcorn in the cupboard, and popped it in the microwave. When it was done, she brought it out to Nick who already had the movie in and set up, ready to go.  
  
"Smells good." He commented as she sat down on the couch next to him. He reached up and turned of the lights. She leaned back against him and he put his arm around her as they began the movie.  
  
**********  
  
By the time the movie was over, Sara had fallen asleep in Nick's arms. He carefully slipped out from underneath her and cautiously lifted her up in his arms. He carried her to one of the bedrooms and gently laid her on the bed. He grabbed a blanket from the end of the bed and covered her up.  
  
God she's beautiful. He thought to himself as he softly kissed her forehead. He quietly left the room and went out to get their bags, which still remained by the front door. Leaving hers in her room, he brought his own into the other room to change into blue plaid pajama pants and a gray t- shirt and climbed into bed.  
  
**********  
  
About an hour later he heard a bone-chilling scream, come from Sara's bedroom. He jumped up as fast as he could and ran out into the hall and into her bedroom. When he entered the room, he saw her sitting on her bed, with her arms wrapped around her bent legs, shaking.  
  
"Sara?" He asked as he neared the bed. She didn't respond. "Sara?" He asked again, as he sat on the bed next to her. Still getting no response, he reached out and touched her arm. She jumped and looked up.  
  
"Oh Nick." She exclaimed and starting shaking again. He wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her into him, trying to comfort her.  
  
"Shhh. It's ok." He said. "Did you have a nightmare?" He asked softly.  
  
"Yeah. It was happening all over again." She said quietly. Tears began to fall down her face, leaving a wet trail behind.  
  
"I can't believe I'm crying." She said, looking slightly embarrassed. "It's just, I've been holding this in for the past week."  
  
"It's ok to cry. So go ahead and let it all out. You'll feel better afterwards."  
  
"I'm just so scared. They have to catch him. I can't live the rest of my life in fear."  
  
"They'll catch him, don't you worry. We have excellent people out there looking for him." He replied assuringly.  
  
She had stopped shaking by now and seemed more relaxed. "Do you want me to get you a glass of water?" He asked, going to get up.  
  
She grabbed onto his arm. "Please stay." She pleaded. "I don't want to be alone."  
  
"Sure sweetie." He replied, kissing her forehead.  
  
"Thank you." She breathed. He sat back on the bed, and she crawled across his lap, putting her arms around his neck and his went around her back. Being in his warm strong arms was so comforting. She hated that Hank could make her feel this vulnerable. She was always so strong.  
  
"Do you want me to stay the night?" He asked, unsure of what she wanted.  
  
"If you don't mind."  
  
"Not at all." He said giving her one of those famous Stokes smiles that got her every time.  
  
"Thanks for everything you've done. You are so sweet. I love you Nick."  
  
"I love you too." He replied. "My life meant nothing before I met you."  
  
"I see you have a romantic side too." She grinned.  
  
"Hey." She exclaimed, and giggled as he started tickling her. "Ok. stop. uncle." She cried and he finally stopped. "Tickling should be classified as cruel and unusual." She said still laughing. She wiped her eyes, which were filled with tears from laughing so hard.  
  
Nick wrapped his arms around her, and slowly leaned towards her. Their warm lips made contact and they slowly kissed. When they finally pulled apart, he studied her face for her initial reaction. She smiled and they began to kiss again, this time more intense. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he guided her smoothly down to the bed, and hovered over her, pausing for a moment. "Are you sure about this?" He asked.  
  
"Yes." She replied, smiling.  
  
"Cause you know I'd never want to hurt you."  
  
"I know."  
  
They started to kiss again. Nick slowly made his way down to her neck, kissing every inch along the way. Sara reached up and grabbed hold of his shirt and hauled it off over his head. She rubbed her hands over his bare back, not realizing till now just how muscular he really was. He took his time unbuttoning her shirt and then with a little help from her, pulled it off.  
  
**********  
  
Sara awoke the next morning to birds chirping, and the sun shinning in through the window. She reached out to stretch, but her hand collided with something warm. Surprised, she glanced over and saw Nick lying in the bad next to her, and the night's events came flooding back to her.  
  
She slowly climbed over him, trying not to wake him as she got out of the bed. She grabbed a change of clothes and headed for the shower.  
  
She took a lengthy shower, and took her time drying off and getting dressed. As she left the bathroom and entered the hallway, she could smell something cooking. Upon entering the kitchen, she saw Nick standing over the stove with an apron on. She couldn't help but giggle at the sight of him.  
  
He heard her laugh, and turned around. "What's so funny?" He asked leaving the stove and walking over to her, wrapping his arms around her waste. "Good morning beautiful, how was your night? Mine was wonderful with you by my side." He sang lyrics from one of his favorite country songs. This was the first time she had heard him sing, and he was surprisingly good.  
  
She just grinned and glanced over at the stove. "What'cha cooking?"  
  
"Omelets." He replied as he returned to the stove, to flip it over. It was almost done so it only took a minute to finish.  
  
"One vegetarian omelet, coming up." He said, grabbing a plate to put it on.  
  
**********  
  
As the day wore on, they grew more and more restless. There was nothing they could do but sit and wait. It was unnerving.  
  
"If we have to stay like this much longer, I'm going to go stir crazy." Nick said that night while they were seated on the couch watching T.V.  
  
"I know what you mean." She replied. "At least we have each other."  
  
"That's so true." He replied, leaning over to kiss her. "I'm really tired, we didn't get much sleep last night, so I think I'll take a shower and then head to bed." He said, grinning.  
  
"Yeah. I think I'll head to bed now too."  
  
They both got up and headed down the hall. Nick went into the bathroom, and Sara went to her room to change. About five minutes later she heard a noise behind her.  
  
"That was fast." She waited for him to reply but got nothing. She turned around but to her surprise it wasn't Nick standing in the room.  
  
**********  
  
A/N: I know, evil right? Please review and let me know what you think. 


	8. To shoot or not to shoot

A/N: Thanks everyone for all the awesome reviews. I apologize greatly for taking so long to update. I didn't think it would take this long, or I wouldn't have left you in suspense. There's still more to come after this, so it's not the end yet. Oh, and a special thanks to Sweet Preserves for her suggestions and help with this chapter.  
  
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She dropped the brush she had been holding and it hit the floor with a dull thud. She tried to scream but nothing came out.  
  
"Did ya miss me?" He asked, sneering at her.  
  
"Hank! How the hell did you get in here?"  
  
"That's my little secret."  
  
He advanced towards her, and she backed away, but only got about a foot before she hit the dresser. He grabbed her arm with a steel like grip and shoved her onto the bed. She fell hard on her back, and tried to get up but he held her down.  
  
"When I'm through with you you'll wish you never left me." He smirked.  
  
"No!" She exclaimed, but it was no use. She couldn't get away, and no matter how much she screamed Nick wouldn't hear her with the water running.  
  
He hauled her shirt off and was going for the button on her jeans. She had to think fast, but her mind was foggy. She screamed as loud as she could, in hopes that a neighbor might hear and call the police. He covered her mouth with his hand and continued.  
  
**********  
  
When Nick left the bathroom, he heard noise coming from Sara's room. He paused for a moment, and heard a male voice and then sobs. He quickly grabbed his gun and walked quietly towards the door.  
  
Upon entering the room, he saw Sara lying on the bed naked, crying, with a man on top of her. As he got closer he realized who it was.  
  
"Nick!" Sara cried and Hank turned around.  
  
"Don't move, or I'll shoot!" Nick shouted.  
  
Hank just laughed. "You wouldn't shoot me."  
  
"You wanna bet?"  
  
The confidence in Nick's voice made Hank pause. Sara began to sob again and Hank suddenly remembered that he was still on top of her. He reached over and quickly grabbed her gun, which was lying on the nightstand.  
  
"I'm warning you Hank!" Nick shouted.  
  
"You're warning me?" Hank laughed. He had the gun pointed directly at Sara's head. "In the time it takes for you to pull the trigger and for the bullet to hit me, she'll be dead." He snickered.  
  
Nick had no idea what to do. It was a lose - lose situation.  
  
Sara couldn't believe that the only thing that was going through her head right now was how ironic it was that she was going to be killed with her own gun, the gun that was there for her protection. She glanced up at Nick, and for the first time she saw fear in his eyes.  
  
"You won't have time to pull the trigger." Nick sated rather confidently for the situation he was in. "You'd have to have awfully quick reflexes."  
  
"Well, if that's a chance you're willing to take." Hank replied.  
  
He looked over at Sara, who gave him a slight nod that Hank didn't notice. He held his breath, prayed to God that Sara knew what she was doing, and fired the gun at Hank. Sara ducked to one side and as the bullet hit Hank in the stomach, he pulled the trigger and the bullet hit the bed in the spot where her head used to be.  
  
Hank fell onto the bed, half on top of Sara, blood flowing freely from his open wound. Nick grabbed his cell phone and called 911. Once he hung up the phone he ran over to Sara and helped her up. He pulled down a blanket from the closet and wrapped it around her shivering body.  
  
"Are you alright?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around her a pulled her close.  
  
"Now that you're here." She replied. "Thank you."  
  
**********  
  
"Hey Nick." Catherine said as she entered the waiting room followed by Grissom, Warrick and Greg. "How is she?"  
  
"She's in getting checked out now." Nick replied.  
  
"How about Hank?" Grissom asked.  
  
"He's in the O.R. now, but they're pretty sure he'll pull through." Nick replied, with a hint of anger in his voice.  
  
At that moment the doctor came through the doors and walked over to Nick. "Mr. Stokes?" He asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"We did a kit and Miss Sidle was raped. There's nothing serious but Miss Sidle would like to see you." Nick just nodded. "Follow me." He said, and they headed down a long hall and into one of the rooms. "I'll leave you two alone."  
  
"Hey honey." Nick said as he walked towards Sara who was sitting on a table by the wall. She looked as though she had been crying. She looked up and when she saw Nick she started to cry again. "It's ok sweetie. Everything's going to be ok."  
  
"No it's not, Nick. Do you realize we still have to testify in court? Do you realize how long that could take? I'll be just getting over this and they'll bring up bad memories."  
  
"Hey, you'll get through this. You're strong and that's something I've always admired about you. I'll be here for you whenever you need me. I'll be next to you every step of the way."  
  
"Thank you Nick. You are so sweet. I love you."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
"I just wish you could be next to me on the stand when I testify."  
  
"I know. But I'll be there with you." He wrapped his arms around her and held her for a few minutes. "The rest of the gang is out in the waiting room. Are you ready to see them?"  
  
"As much as I love them all, I think I need some time before I talk about it."  
  
"If you've already given your statement to the police then how about we pick up some breakfast and we can head back to my place if you'd feel more comfortable."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"I brought you a change of clothes. You can get dressed and I'll talk to Grissom and everyone else."  
  
"Thank you Nick."  
  
"No problem." He replied, kissing her forehead.  
  
**********  
  
An hour later they pulled up in Nick's driveway. As they entered the house a black lab came bounding towards the front door and jumped on Nick knocking him over.  
  
"Hey Shadow! It's been so long since I've seen you. Who's the cutest puppy ever? Who's the number one dog?" Nick said in the kind of voice you would use talking to a 2 year old.  
  
"I didn't know. you had. a dog." Sara said in between giggles.  
  
"What's so funny?" Nick asked turning around to face Sara who was nearly on the floor because she was laughing so hard.  
  
"That. had to be. the funniest thing. I have ever.seen." She said trying to catch her breath. One look at Nick's face caused her to burst out laughing again.  
  
"Oh you think that's funny do you?" Nick asked as he started tickling her.  
  
"Not. fair!" She exclaimed through fits of laughter. Shadow started barking, jealous of the attention Nick was giving to Sara.  
  
Nick picked Sara up in his arms and carried her to the couch with Shadow trailing at his feet. "I have to let Shadow out. Do you want something to drink?"  
  
"No. I'm fine, thanks." She said, still smiling. "I'm really tired though.  
  
"You can sleep in my spare bedroom. I'll show you where it is in a sec." He replied before leaving the room to let Shadow outside.  
  
When he returned he led her down the hall and into one of the bedrooms. It was pale blue, and had a double bed under the window and a dresser on one wall.  
  
"I'll get you some clothes you can sleep in, and we'll pick up yours tomorrow." He left the room and returned a few minutes later with a pair of plaid pajama pants and a black t-shirt.  
  
"Thanks again for everything Nick."  
  
"No problem." He replied as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.  
  
"Nick? Could you stay with me tonight? I'm still a little nervous. I know how silly it is. He's under police surveillance, he can't get me."  
  
"Hey, it's not silly. You have a right to feel the way you do after what you've been through. I'll go get changed and I'll be right back."  
  
When he returned to the room, Sara was already in bed. He turned off the light and climbed in next to her. "Goodnight Sara."  
  
"Goodnight." 


	9. An eventful day

A/N: Hey everyone! Ok, I'm going to skip ahead a bit in the next few chapters 'cause it's the only way this could really work. Oh yeah, I don't know where Nick would have a cabin with a pond too, seeing how they live in a dessert, but lets just pretend that they drove a nice ways to a place that could. Please review and tell me what you think.  
  
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A month later  
  
"Man you're lucky. You have the whole weekend off with Nick." Catherine said as she and Sara entered the break room.  
  
"Yeah. I guess Grissom thought we needed the time off. Do you want some coffee?" She asked, pouring herself a cup.  
  
"Thanks. What are you guys going to be up to?"  
  
"We're going to head up to Nick's cabin for the weekend." She replied, grinning.  
  
"Sounds like fun."  
  
"I can't wait." Her cell phone began ringing. "Can you excuse me one second?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi, Miss Sidle?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"This is Doctor Moore. I tried your house but there was no answer."  
  
"I'm at work. Do you have the results?"  
  
"Yes. Do you want them now? Or would you rather come down?"  
  
"Now would be great."  
  
"Ok. It's positive." Her heart sank. This was not happening. "Sara? Sara? Are you still there?"  
  
"Oh. Sorry. Yeah I'm still here. I have to go. Thank you."  
  
She hung up the phone, walked over and sat on the couch. She was so out of it, she didn't even notice when Catherine sat down next to her.  
  
"You're pregnant aren't you?" She asked quietly.  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"I had the same look on my face when I found out I was pregnant with Lindsey. I was considering breaking up with Eddie, but it was too late then. We ended up getting married and of course, that failed."  
  
"Catherine, what am I going to do?" Sara asked, on the verge of tears.  
  
"You're going to talk to Nick, that's what you're going to do." She stated firmly.  
  
"I can't. Not this weekend. Nick was looking forward to this for weeks."  
  
"Hey. You'll feel better once it's off your chest, and you'll have some time to talk about it."  
  
"Yeah. I suppose you're right."  
  
*********  
  
"You lucky dog." Warrick exclaimed as he and Nick entered the trace lab.  
  
"I know." He replied. "If I show you something, will you promise not to say anything?"  
  
"Ok."  
  
Nick reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. Inside was a beautiful diamond engagement ring, with a gold band.  
  
"Nick! When are you planning on asking her?"  
  
"This weekend." Nick replied, with a smile on his face.  
  
*********  
  
At Nick's cabin  
  
"Nick! The view is gorgeous." Sara exclaimed as she and Nick stepped out of his Tahoe and onto the rocky driveway that led to his cabin. She was wearing black denim shorts and a red tank top. Nick, who was wearing blue denim shorts and a black t-shirt, wrapped his arm around her and led her down to the cabin with Shadow running happily ahead checking out all the trees as he went, for intruders. As they got closer, Sara realized there was a pond right in front of the cabin, with a warf and a canoe and rowboat turned upside down on the ground.  
  
"It's amazing!"  
  
"I haven't shown you the inside yet. Come on, I'll take you on the grand tour."  
  
Nick finally found the right key, and they opened the door and met the smell of fresh wood.  
  
"I love the smell of wood. It reminds me of when my uncle used to take me camping when I was younger." Sara said as she and Nick entered the cabin.  
  
"Yeah. I always leave some wood inside in case it's raining and I need some." Nick replied, turning on the light. "You can leave your shoes on."  
  
As the entered the cabin, on the left was a small empty closet. To the right was a small living room with a couch, an armchair and a wood stove. A little bit farther on, was a kitchen with a refrigerator, stove and sink, and there was a small table in the middle of the room with four chairs around it. There were two doors on the left side. Nick led her past the living room to the first one. "This is the bedroom." He said as he opened the door. Inside were a double bed, a closet and a dresser. He then walked down to the second door. As he opened the door she saw that it was a bathroom. Complete with a toilet, sink, and a shower. The whole cabin was covered in wood paneling.  
  
As they ended the tour, Sara watched in amusement as Shadow searched the whole cabin, sniffing every inch of it to see if anything was out of place. She walked over to Nick and wrapped her arms around his waist and they began to kiss. "I love you so much."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
"Nick? Can I talk to you about something?"  
  
"Sure. What is it?" he replied, with a worried expression beginning to form on his face.  
  
"Sit down, please." Was her reply. He sat down on the couch and she sat down next to him. "Nick. I. um. I'm pregnant."  
  
Nick was in total shock. "You're pregnant?" Sara began to cry. "Hey, what's wrong honey? That's wonderful news."  
  
"No it's not. Don't you understand? It was about a month ago. I don't know if the baby's yours or. Hanks." She finished and began to cry again.  
  
"Hey, don't worry about it honey." He said, wrapping his arms around her and rubbing her back. "Whatever you decide to do, I will be behind you, every step of the way. And if you decide to have this baby, I want you to know I will always be there for you and the baby, and even if it's not mine I will love it as if it was."  
  
"Nick. I love you."  
  
"Come with me." He replied.  
  
"What? Where are we going?"  
  
"Just trust me." He replied, with a twinkle in his eye and a grin on his face. He grabbed her hand and led her outside, down the path to the pond. She gave him a hand as he turned over the rowboat.  
  
**********  
  
It was a beautiful night. The stars show brightly against the dark sky, and the moon was just a tiny slither. They headed out into the pond with Nick rowing and Sara seated on a bench across from him. After about 10 minutes they reached a tiny cove.  
  
"What are we doing here?" Sara asked, really confused.  
  
"I come here all the time to be by myself and think." Nick said as he stood up and carefully walked towards her and knelt down in front of her. He took her hand in his and said, "Sara, I love you with all my heart. The day I met you, a hole inside of me was filled. I've never felt this way about anyone before. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He paused for a moment to take the ring out of his pocket. "Will you marry me?"  
  
"Yes!" She replied, forgetting she was in a boat, and jumping up to wrap her arms around him in a huge hug, but ended up tipping the boat and they both fell overboard into the water.  
  
When they both surfaced, Nick began to laugh.  
  
"That was not funny." Sara stated, splashing water in his face.  
  
"At least the ring was still in the box." Nick said still laughing. He swam closer to her, and he wrapped his arms around her and they began a deep and passionate kiss.  
  
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A/N: Please review and let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. 


	10. We're getting married

A/N: Hey everyone! Thank you so much for taking the time to review. It means a lot to me that people want me to continue and you've given me a lot of confidence to continue writing. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.  
  
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That night, Nick was lying on the couch with Sara lying partially on top of him, enjoying the warmth created from the contact between their bodies. He saw her glance down at her engagement ring for the hundredth time that night before looking up at him and smiling. "Does anyone else know about this?" She asked.  
  
"Just Warrick. I didn't want to tell anyone until after you said yes, but I couldn't hold it in any longer." He replied, grinning sheepishly.  
  
She laughed at the look on his face. He was so cute. "Do you want a drink?"  
  
"Sure. I'll have a coke."  
  
When she got up and headed for the kitchen, he got up and followed her. As she opened the door to the fridge he wrapped his arms around her waste and started to kiss her neck. "Ahh. That feels so nice." She said, turning around to face him, and throwing her arms around his neck. She pulled him closer to her and put her mouth over his. Her tongue explored every inch of his mouth, leaving nothing untouched.  
  
"Wow!" Nick said when they finally broke free to get some air, Nick asked. "You ready for bed?" She nodded and he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. He laid her down and began kissing her again. Soon they were both lying on the bed. Nick slowly moved so that he was on top of her running his hand through her hair.  
  
An image of Hank sitting on top of her flashed before her mind. Suddenly she started to shake. "Get off!" She screamed and started clawing out at him, scratching the side of his face with her nails.  
  
Nick jumped back in surprise and shock. "Are you ok hon?" Nick asked as a look of concern spread across his face.  
  
She slowly calmed down, and put her hand on her forehead. "Nick. I'm really not ready for this." She replied. "I know it's been a month and I am so sorry."  
  
"Hey, it's ok. I don't mind. I'll wait as long as you need. We don't have to do anything until you are good and ready."  
  
"I'm sorry for leading you on like that. I should have realized I wasn't ready." She said apologetically.  
  
"There's no need to keep apologizing. You didn't know, and I don't mind waiting. I'm quite content just being with you."  
  
"Thank you, Nick." She said, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "I just hate the fact he can make me feel this vulnerable and scared. I hate feeling this helpless."  
  
"I know." He said quietly, rubbing her back with his hand. "Hey, why don't we talk about something else?" He suggested, trying to take her mind off of it. "How about wedding plans?"  
  
"Ok." She replied.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Nick and Sara walked into the Las Vegas Crime Lab holding hands. As they entered the building they ran into Greg in the hall.  
  
"Awwww! How sweet!" He exclaimed before they had a chance to move their hands.  
  
"Shut up Greg." Sara said with a playful smile on her face.  
  
"Hey Greg. Meet us in the break room in 10 minutes ok?" Nick asked as they headed on down the hall.  
  
"Ok." Greg said, a puzzled look on his face.  
  
They walked on down to Grissom's office and knocked on the door. "Come in." They heard a voice from inside shout. They opened the door and entered his office, side by side.  
  
"Welcome back. Did you have a good time?" Grissom asked as he leaned back in his chair.  
  
"Yes, and we have something we would like to tell everyone if you don't mind." Sara replied.  
  
Grissom looked confused for a brief second but his eyes wandered to the ring on Sara's finger and realization spread across his face. "Sure thing. I think the team is in the break room now. I'll meet you there in five minutes."  
  
They both said thanks and left the room. Once they were all gathered in the break room, Sara and Nick stood up in front of them. "We have an announcement we'd like to make." Nick said, grinning uncontrollably. "We're getting married."  
  
There was a lot of gasps and exclamations from around the room. "And," Sara added, "I'm pregnant."  
  
There were a lot of congratulations, and a few slaps on the back for Nick. They decided to keep quiet about the uncertainty of the father.  
  
"Catherine, would you be the maid of honor?"  
  
"Yes!" She exclaimed as she jumped up and ran over to hug her. "I would be honored. No pun intended."  
  
"I would like to ask you three to be my groomsmen." Nick added.  
  
"We would love too." They all said at different intervals.  
  
"Have you decided on a date yet?" Catherine asked, eagerness and excitement showing in her eyes.  
  
"The 23rd." Nick replied. "We wanted to do it as soon as possible, so we have everything booked."  
  
"We were lucky to get a date so soon. There was a cancellation." Sara added.  
  
They glanced around at the eager faces surrounding them. There was an atmosphere of excitement in the room, and everyone was happily chattering about wedding plans.  
  
"Sorry to have to interrupt, but we have three new cases." Grissom said once everyone calmed down. "Nick and Sara, could I speak with you in my office?"  
  
"Sure." They both replied, worry spreading across their faces.  
  
"It'll only take a minute." They followed him into his office and he shut the door behind him. "Have a seat." He said, and paused for a minute before continuing. "I received a call this morning from the District Attorney office. The trial date has been set."  
  
"When is it?" Sara asked early.  
  
Grissom hesitated before answering. "The 23rd." He watched as the excitement and happiness drained from their faces, leaving their expressions empty. "I'm so sorry. I didn't want to ruin this for you. If you'd like to be alone to talk about this, I'll leave and you can use my office." He offered. He watched as they nodded slowly, and stood up to leave the room.  
  
Once they were alone, Nick stood up and paced back and forth and without warning his hand suddenly shot out, connecting with the wall, leaving a huge dent behind.  
  
"Nick! Calm down." She watched as he walked over and kicked Grissom's desk. "Nick, stop it!"  
  
"It wasn't bad enough that he kidnapped us and attempted to kill us, took me hostage, attacked you, he had to ruin the only good thing we had to look forward to. Even from behind bars he's still ruining are lives." Nick shouted angrily.  
  
"Nick. You're scaring me."  
  
Nick calmed down a bit. "I'm sorry baby. I'm just so angry." He apologized.  
  
She stood up and wrapped her arms around him in a big hug. "I know honey. We can still have the wedding. The trial won't take all day and the wedding isn't until that evening."  
  
"You're right sweetheart. I'm sorry I freaked out like that. I love you so much"  
  
"I love you too."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
A/N: There's only going to be about two more chapters. The next one will be the day of the trial/wedding. I don't know a lot about either, since I've never been to a trial or wedding, so you'll have to bear with me and if I've made any mistakes let me know, that way I'll know for next time. ;) Please review and let me know what you think. 


	11. For better or worse

A/N: Thanks everyone for taking the time to review. I really appreciate it. I'm sorry for taking so long to update. I had a really bad writers block and haven't been able to update any of my stories, but here it is. I hope you like it. P.S. Every time I tried to upload this it came out weird, with squares and stuff. So, I don't know how to fix it.  
  
**********  
  
The excitement and nervousness that filled her gut, made her feel like she was going to explode. This was the day. It would finally be over. Sure, she'd have to testify against Hank, but then he would go to prison and be out of her life for good. She smiled at that thought as she ran a brush through her hair, in Nick's bathroom. The trial was set for 9:00 that morning and the wedding was at 4:00. They rushed the preparations a bit, but it was still going to be a gorgeous wedding.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted when Nick poked his head in through the door. "Hey hun. What would you like for breakfast?"  
  
"I'm really too nervous to eat." She replied.  
  
"You'll need to eat something. You have a long day ahead of you."  
  
He wasn't going to give up until she ate something, so she said, "I'll just have some toast and a cup of coffee."  
  
He smiled. "Coming right up." As he left for the kitchen, she glanced at herself in the mirror. Her hair was pulled back in an elastic, and she had her usually make-up on. She had decided on something casual, a pair of dark blue jeans and a red, clingy t-shirt. Her jewelry was basic. She wore her engagement ring, a silver bracelet Nick had given her and the necklace her mom gave her when she was 7.  
  
She took one last look in the mirror and left the room to find Nick. 'It's a good thing he knows how to cook or else we would both starve.' She thought as she entered the kitchen and noticed how good he looked, dressed in blue jeans and a navy blue and white sweater. She snuck up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waste. The smell of his cologne mixed with the sent of his shampoo created a wonderful aroma as it filled her nose. He flipped the switch on the radio and the soft music filled the room. He turned around and put his arms around her as they danced in the middle of the kitchen.  
  
** Every time our eyes meet  
  
This feeling inside me  
  
Is almost more than I can take  
  
Baby when you touch me  
  
I can feel how much you love me  
  
And it just blows me away  
  
I've never been this close to anyone or anything  
  
I can hear your thoughts  
  
I can see your dreams  
  
I don't know how you do what you do  
  
I'm so in love with you  
  
It just keeps getting better  
  
I wanna spend the rest of my life  
  
With you by my side  
  
Forever and ever  
  
Every little thing that you do  
  
Baby I'm amazed by you  
  
The smell of your skin  
  
The taste of your kiss  
  
The way you whisper in the dark  
  
Your hair all around me  
  
Baby you surround me  
  
You touch every place in my heart  
  
Oh it feels like the first time every time  
  
I wanna spend the whole night in your eyes  
  
I don't know how you do what you do  
  
I'm so in love with you  
  
It just keeps getting better  
  
I wanna spend the rest of my life  
  
With you by my side  
  
Forever and ever  
  
Every little thing that you do  
  
Baby I'm amazed by you  
  
Every little thing that you do  
  
I'm so in love with you  
  
It just keeps getting better  
  
I wanna spend the rest of my life  
  
With you by my side  
  
Forever and ever  
  
Every little thing that you do  
  
Oh, every little thing that you do  
  
Baby I'm amazed by you** (isn't it funny how the song started just as Nick turned the radio on?)  
  
They paused as the song ended, neither wanting to let go. Sara finally broke the moment saying, "Nick we really have to get going if we want to get down to the court house in time."  
  
"Yeah." He agreed, still not wanting to move away from her touch. The warmth created from the connection between their bodies was relaxing. He finally pulled away and said, "I've got the keys so I'm driving." He laughed evilly and ran out the door, Sara at his heels.  
  
*********  
  
When they reached the courthouse, they met up with their lawyer, Geoff Collins. "Hi. How are you this morning?" The balding man in his mid forties asked.  
  
"We're doing ok, all things considered." Sara replied.  
  
"Well, in my expert opinion, you don't have anything to worry about. We're going to nail him." He said, smiling.  
  
"That's not what I'm nervous about." Sara replied under her breath. Only Nick heard and he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.  
  
They entered the courtroom and sat down next to each other. No more than 5 minutes later, a guard escorted Hank to his seat. Nick, who was holding Sara's hand, felt her muscles tense up at the sight of him. Nick said some comforting words before leaning over to kiss her cheek. At the sight of this Hank gave them both an evil glare.  
  
Sara who had finally relaxed a little, stared coldly back, until the judge entered and someone said, "All rise for the honorable Judge Williams."  
  
"You may be seated." They sat down and waited for him to continue. "The accused is charged with the kidnapping, assault and attempted murder of Sara Sidle and Nicholas Stokes, and sexual assault on Sara Sidle. Mr. Collins please state your case."  
  
**********  
  
"The accused is found guilty of all charges. Hank Pedigrew is hereby sentenced to 25 years in prison with a chance of parole after 16. Case dismissed." He said before standing up and leaving the room.  
  
Sara jumped up and wrapped her arms around Nick, not wanting to let go. When the finally did, Sara said, "Thank you for being there for me. Without you I wouldn't have been able to make it through this."  
  
"I love you, and I'll always be there for you." He replied, planting a kiss on her lips. He glanced at his watch and said, "We gotta run if we don't want to miss our wedding."  
  
"That would actually be quite funny." Sara grinned at the thought.  
  
"Come on. Catherine is waiting for you at her house. You better hurry up and get changed." Nick said as he ushered her out the door and towards his Tahoe.  
  
He dropped her off at Catherine's and headed over to Warrick's to change. Once he got there he was greeted by Warrick, Greg, Grissom and Josh his best friend since elementary school, who had flown in from Texas to be his best man, and Shadow.  
  
"We have to hurry, we only have about 45 minutes." Wrrick said, leading Nick into his spare bedroom where his tuxedo was lying on the bed.  
  
**********  
  
"Wow! You look gorgeous." Catherine exclaimed, standing back to take a good look at Sara. She had on a floor length white wedding gown. The gown was sleeveless, and was maid of silk, with lace covering the skirt half.  
  
"Just please stay still." Marissa, one of her best friends from high school complained, as she tried to fix Sara's hair. She was a hairdresser, and she and Sara's cousin Jessica, were going to be her bridesmaids.  
  
"There. All done." She announced and stepped down from the stool.  
  
"Good, can we go now?" Sara whined.  
  
"First a picture." Catherine jumped up a grabbed her camera. "I'll set it on automatic, so we can all be in the picture. Come on Lindsey," she called out to her daughter who was going to be the flower girl. "One… Two… Three!"  
  
*********  
  
The organist began playing the bridal march, as they began the walk down the aisle. Nick beamed as he watched Sara walk towards him. She looked absolutely beautiful. She reached the altar and the music stopped.  
  
"We are gathered here today, to unite these two in holy matrimony." The minister began.  
  
*********  
  
"Do you Nicholas Stokes take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"Do you Sara Sidle take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."  
  
**********  
  
A/N: Ok, this chapter wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. I left it vague 'cause I know almost nothing about trials and weddings, seeing how I've never been to either. Oh, and by the way, I know what the minister said in the wedding ceremony was wrong, 'cause I made it up. So I apologize for that. Please review and let me know what you think. I was going to write another chapter about the baby being born, but this is also a good ending. Let me know what your opinion is. Oh yeah, the song is Amazed by Lonestar. 


	12. Babies don't come in cans

A/N: Well, this is it. I've finally finished my first story. I want to thank everyone who reviewed this story. I really appreciate that you took the time to tell me what you thought. I would like to give a special thanks to Sweet Preserves who read through the chapters and told me what she thought of them before I posted them and gave me some ideas (If you like M*A*S*H you should read her stuff. It's really good.) Also to Missy Jane, who reviewed ever single chapter of this story.  
  
Thank you: MissyJane, A Bloom, Emily, Melindotty, Sprinkles143, Franny, pdhtgal, i love johnny *hee hee, loco, Mia, Lisa, Silent Bob, kas, Jen, Fallen-Angel, adpi24, teej, Candance, Karen, AssortedJellyBeans, Mim, sertvs, drvvh, just a fan, Pagan, Gert, Sweet Preserves, Diana, CajunCutie, oOoOo, allikat, Kris, teej, Ally Sidle, Zarek, Sara Stokes, Sara Sidle Stokes, :.:.:, Lynn, undacoveragent9, Concrete Angel, alwaysforever, csi424, krisnina77  
  
I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Nick." Sara whispered into the darkness. "Nick." She said again, only this time a little louder. He didn't stir. "Nick!" She shouted and punched him in the arm.  
  
"Ow! What was that for?" Nick replied groggily, still half asleep.  
  
"I think it's time."  
  
"Time for what?" He mumbled stupidly.  
  
"Time for dinner, what do you think?" She asked sarcastically. "The baby."  
  
At this Nick perked up. He turned to and looked at her as it registered in his brain. "Oh my God, the baby!" He jumped out of the bed and dashed across the room stubbing his toe on the dresser. He spent a few minutes hoping around on one foot and ended up tripping over a chair and landed with a loud thump on the floor.  
  
"Anything I can do for you honey?" Sara called out, while Nick lay on the floor moaning.  
  
"A stretcher would be nice."  
  
He finally got up, and fumbled for a few minutes trying to find the light switch. Finally succeeding in completing his mission, he turned to look at Sara breathing heavily. "I'm cool." He said. "Come on. Lets go."  
  
"Wouldn't you like to get dressed first?" She asked, glancing down at his boxers.  
  
"We don't have enough time." He replied, running around the room, collecting random items.  
  
"Nick! Calm down and relax. We have lots of time." She said, a slightly amused look on her face as she saw him tossed a lamp into the bag. He ran out into the hall and she could hear him collecting items from other rooms in the house.  
  
She entered the kitchen a few minutes later as he was about to throw a can opener into the bag. "Nick honey, babies don't come in cans."  
  
He glanced down at the can opener in his hand. "Uh right."  
  
"Come on, let's go."  
  
"We have to call everyone!" Nick said running to find a phone.  
  
"Already done."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah. While you were running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, I took the liberty of calling Catherine, who's going to call the rest of the team."  
  
"Good. We better go." He said, ushering her towards the door.  
  
"Nick. Please get dressed first."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
They reached the hospital in a quick 15 minutes and rushed towards the front desk in Emergency. "How can I help you?" The blonde nurse sitting behind the desk asked.  
  
"My wife's having a baby." Nick practically shouted while trying to catch his breath.  
  
"Ok, hold on one minute." She said, and paged a nurse. "How far apart are the contractions?"  
  
"25 minutes." Sara replied.  
  
Another nurse rushed towards them. "This is Nurse Able, she'll show you to your room and I'll send the doctor right up."  
  
"Follow me." The nurse said, and she led them down the hall, towards the elevator.  
  
************************************************************************  
"Hi Sara, how are you doing?" The doctor asked, entering the room.  
  
"Fine. All things considered." She replied, giving him a weak smile.  
  
"How far apart are the contractions?" He asked Nick, who was holding a stopwatch.  
  
"They're down to ten minutes."  
  
"Ok. I think the baby's in a hurry to come out." He said, smiling. "It usually takes a lot longer than this. I'm going to go scrub up, while the nurses prep you." He said, and left the room.  
  
"I'm starting to get really nervous." Sara said, looking up at Nick.  
  
Nick, who was sitting on a stool beside her bed, gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Everything's going to be fine."  
  
"Yeah, you're right." She replied, giving him a smile.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Come on, we're almost done." The doctor said encouragingly. "One more push. There we go."  
  
Sara finally loosened her grip on Nick's hand, which had now turned white from loss of circulation. They had been in the delivery room for 2 hours now and they were both exhausted.  
  
"Congratulations. You are the parents of a beautiful baby girl." The doctor said as he brought the baby over for them to hold.  
  
"Isn't she gorgeous?" Nick asked as he reached out to touch her tiny hand. "She's my beautiful princess."  
  
"What should we name her?" Sara asked.  
  
"How about Miranda?"  
  
"Miranda Elizabeth Stokes. I like it." She replied smiling.  
  
"Me too." Nick said, wrapping one arm around her and the other around the baby.  
  
"I don't mean to interrupt, but you said on the phone that you wanted to do a paternity test."  
  
"Right." Sara said, glancing at Nick. "Can we do that now?"  
  
"Sure, just give me about an hour, and I should have the results."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"I'm terrified to know the results." Sara said, lying on the bed in her hospital room.  
  
"You know what? Maybe we shouldn't see the results." Sara looked at him questionably. "I mean, whatever the results, we're still going to raise her the same. It doesn't make a difference if I'm her real father or not."  
  
"Maybe you're right." She replied. "I'm afraid I'll treat her differently if she's Hank's."  
  
"And whether I'm the father or not, I will always love her, because she's your daughter, and I love you."  
  
"That's so incredibly sweet Nick." She said, as Nick leaned down ad kissed her softly on the lips.  
  
The End  
  
************************************************************************  
  
A/N: I know, you all hate me. I just couldn't decide, so I left it undecided. *Runs away from angry mob* I know a lot of the technical stuff probably isn't accurate, but don't hurt me. Anyways, please review and let me know what you think. Oh yeah, I was thinking about writing a sequel that takes place later on when Hank gets out on parole, but I don't really have any ideas, so if you have any, please let me know. 


End file.
